Vlerick Business School unites research centres to drive sustainability

David Veredas

By David Veredas

Professor of Financial Markets

30 January 2025

Vlerick Business School is excited to announce that the Centre for Sustainable Finance will be joining forces with the Vlerick Sustainability Centre. This strategic merger aims to better serve our partners and members by uniting all sectors and company sizes under one umbrella, addressing common sustainability issues and topics.

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A history of pioneering research

The Centre for Sustainable Finance, established in 2020, has been a pioneer in sustainability research within finance and the financial services ecosystem. In response to growing demand from other industries, the Vlerick Sustainability Centre was founded about a year ago. “Merging these centres allows us to leverage our combined expertise and resources to address the sustainability challenges faced by businesses across all industries,” says Professor David Veredas, Associate Dean of Sustainability at Vlerick Business School.

ABN AMRO is delighted to see the merger of the Centre for Sustainable Finance and the Vlerick Sustainability Centre, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing partnership. This merger enables a more holistic approach to sustainability from both a finance and a corporate perspective. Over the past few years, our research collaboration has been instrumental in advancing insights into the ESG impact on financial performances and risks for SMEs. As Community Partner of the newly merged centre, we look forward to continuing this valuable partnership, facilitating a dynamic exchange of insights and knowledge.
Yannick Huygens
Head of Corporate Banking at ABN AMRO Belgium

A force for positive change

The goal of the Vlerick Sustainability Centre is to be a force for positive change within businesses. As an academic institution, Vlerick Business School can act as a neutral player, sharing both academic and business knowledge with partner and member companies in an atmosphere of trust and transparency. "Together, we work on relevant sustainability questions and share what works and what doesn’t," David adds.

Investing in sustainable and innovative initiatives that help the transition of society to become more inclusive and climate-friendly brings sustainability to the heart of what matters. Merging the two centres brings all forces together necessary to support this transition. It’s a well-considered decision resulting in a unified centre with a solid academic foundation.
Frank Vandenborre
Group Director Sustainability at Ageas

Inclusive and collaborative approach

Our inclusive approach means that every company with a sustainability mindset is welcome, whether they are frontrunners or just eager to learn more. The centre-wide research topics are determined together with the Steering Committee, consisting of the community partners and founding members. Parallel to that, the Centre collaborates with individual partners on very specific topics, such as the work with Candriam on new methodologies for measuring Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.

Addressing common challenges

Despite the unique regulatory challenges faced by the financial services sector, there are many more common issues that all businesses encounter. Chief Sustainability Officers are looking for ways to convince employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices. Measuring and reducing emissions, particularly Scope 3 emissions, is another shared challenge. Companies are also seeking guidance on purchasing reliable carbon credits and safeguarding biodiversity by limiting the negative impact of their day-to-day activities on nature. Additionally, there is the open question of whether technology – AI in particular, but other digital technologies as well – can be used as a driver for positive change, as it can help to shape solutions but also comes with increased energy demand.

Towards a more sustainable future

The merger of the Centre for Sustainable Finance and the Vlerick Sustainability Centre exemplifies the school’s commitment to driving sustainability across all industries. By joining forces, we can better address the common challenges faced by businesses and support them in their journey towards a more sustainable future. To conclude, Professor Veredas says, "From a broader perspective, we are all in the same boat, facing similar issues and struggles".

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Join us to accelerate your sustainability transformation

The Vlerick Sustainability Centre is a community of companies embracing sustainability, with the ambition to be part of the leading coalition in realising positive change. These companies will drive our sustainability research agenda, and we’ll bring them together regularly to provide them with inspiration, moments of connection, impactful insights, and new tools and concepts.

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Jonathan De Grande

Jonathan De Grande

Sustainability Connector